Foldable toothbrush construction



May 8, 1956 H. ROTH FOLDABLE TOOTHBRUSH CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 28, 1952 JNVENTOR.

fl/QRRY ROTH 2K FTTORNEY United States Patent O FOLDABLE TOOTI-IBRUSH CONSTRUCTION Harry Roth, Bronx, N. Y.

Application February 28, 1952, Serial No. 273,797

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-185) This invention relates to foldable toothbrushes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable toothbrush with a handle member having side portions thereof which can be flexed in such a manner as to create pressure suflicient to unfold the brush part from the handle part.

It is another object of the invention to provide a foldable toothbrush which is easy to open and which is also easy to close and which will consume little space when not in use.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a foldable toothbrush construction which is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, of pleasing appearance, compact, easy to manipulate and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the foldable toothbrush with the brush part lying within the handle and of one of the forms of the invention;'

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the foldable brush with the brush part extended;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4.4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the foldable brush;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the foldable brush shown in Fig. 5 with the operating portions being cut away to show the construction thereof;

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the brush with the brush part extended and with illustration made as to the manner in which the brush part has beenextended.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, 10 represents a handle part formed of plastic or other suitable material and having side portions 11 and 12 which may be deflected inwardly at their edges so as to provide pressure upon the sides of a brush part 13 having brush bristles 14- and in the manner as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. An end portion portion 15 is separated from the side portions 11 and 12 so as to permit the easy inward deflection of the side portions. The handle part is generally of channel shape and the brush part 13 is hinged by means of a pivot pin 16 on the open end of the same. The brush part has an enlarged portion 17 receiving the pin 16 and this portion is serrated as indicated at 18 to permit the outward pivotal movement of the brush part by a thumb or finger. As the side portions 11 and 12 are folded in along cut lines 11' and 12' said side portions engage the camming surfaces 13' on each side of the brush part 13, whereby the brush part 13 is urged outwardly with force and the brush bristles 14 will be folded inwardly to provide additional and continual upward force to the brush part. It has been found that the brush part can be extended to nearly its full open position by this invention reference may be had to the following detailed- 2 means of applying pressure to the sides of the brush part. The end portion 15 is provided with an opening 18' by which air may enter the handle when closed by the brush part.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, there is shown a still further form of the invention where the side portions of the handle part 21, as indicated at 22 and 23, are adapted to be deflected inwardly'at their ends adjacent the pivotal connection of the brush part as the sides are cut as indicated at 24 and 25, respectively, partway throughout the length of the handle. The rear of the handle 21 is closed by an end portion 26 inte- 1 grally united with the side portions 22 and 23.

A brush part 27 has brush bristles 28 and a pivot pin 29 connected thereto. This pivot pin has cam track grooves 31 and 32 on the opposite sides thereof with which opposing projections 33 and 34 on each side portion engage. There are two such cam tracks on either side of the pivot pin for the respective opposing projections 33 and 34. As the ends of the side portions are forced inwardly and toward one another, as illustrated in Fig. 7, the brush part will accordingly be cammed out of the handle part 21. In order to hold the brush part in its extended position against the spring action of the side portion, the brush part has bent pin formations 35 and 36 on the respective opposite sides thereof which will enter small holes 37 and 38 in the ends of the respective side portions 22 and 23. There is sufficient lost motion in the pivotal connection and in the bent projections 35 and 36 to permit the same to enter the holes 37 and 38. The side portions will accordingly, when the brush is opened, be held against outward displacement and kept from returning the brush to the handle by these projections 35 and 36.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a foldable toothbrush construction, such that by simple deflecting action of the sides of the handle part, the brush part will be forcibly lifted to its raised positions and extended from the handle part. It will also be apparent that the brush part can be easily returned to the handle either forcibly or by the release of the side portions of the'handle part.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable toothbrush construction comprising a handle part having side portions and a bottom portion forming a cavity therebetween, at least one of the side portions having an end section out free from the bottom portion adjacent one end thereof for transverse inward displacement over the bottom portion, a brush part pivotally connected to one end of said handle part and pivotable into the cavity between the side portions, said brush part having a camming surface engageable by the end section upon inward displacement thereof, whereby the brush part may be urged outwardly toward its operative position upon depressing the end section.

2. A foldable toothbrush construction as defined in claim 1 and the other of said side portions being similarly and opposingly cut free from the bottom portion adjacent the one end thereof for transverse inward displacement over the bottom portion and toward the end section of the one side portion, said brush part likewise having a camming surface engageable by the end section of the other side portion serving to move the brush part out of the handle part along with the engagement of the one end section with its camming surface of the brush part whereby both end sections may be simultaneously depressed. I

3. A foldable toothbrush construction as defined in claim 2 and said brush part being connected to the handle part by means of a pivot pin, said carnrning surfaces being in the form of opposing spiral grooves lying respectively in the ends of said pivot pin, the ends of said pivot pin 'slidable through -the free end sections, the free end sections being resilient and normally spaced from the sides of the brush part'adjacent the pivot pin end thereof, and said free end sections having projections respectively adapted to travel in said respective grooves.

4. A foldable toothbrush construction as defined in claim 3 and catch projections on one of said parts, the other of said parts having openings adapted to receive said projections whenthe brush part is extended from the handle part, Wherebythe side portions will be held'against outward displacement and kept from returning the brush to the cavity in the handle part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Heilrath Aug. 2, Hamilton Sept. 22, Nellany June 8, Long Sept. 14, Hill May 14, Lloyd I uly 6, Chibnik Mar. 8, Meyers Aug. 4, Bou'licault May 7, 

